Banana Leaf on Davie

 

My girlfriend and I were looking for a place to further indulge ourselves after a perfect spa day. I haven't eaten all day, so the first interesting place was it - Banana Leaf on Davie (former location of Kam's).

We shared the appetizer sampler for two (A platter of green salad, chicken satay, spring rolls, roti canai & calamari), which we followed with some King Prawns, which was the special of the day. 

I have eaten at Banana Leaf a few times, and although, it's not my "go-to" Malaysian place (that would be Tropika), it's a satisfying place for homey Asian food.

Oru at the Fairmont Pacific Rim

Up the stairs to your left

The lobby  lounge when you walk in

I'm not really big on buffets -- I'd rather order exactly what I want instead of eating random food that just happens to be there. Oru is an exception, it is after all a seafood buffet at the newest hip establishment (Pacific Rim Fairmont).

Perfect view of the convention centre across the street

The light fixture with folded paper -
Oru is from the Japanese word meaning “to fold”

Everything they have, I want. Seriously -- everything!!! We're not talking just cheap frozen mussels and shrimps and salmon which are the common buffet fare. I'm talking about freshly shucked oysters (yes, here I go with oysters again), crab (already cut so it's easy to eat) with melted butter, seafood tom yum soup, bouillabaisse, very fresh mussels done in three different ways, paella, sable fish (cooked to absolute buttery texture perfection!!!). These are just my faves, there are so much more like butter chicken, halibut, sushi, wicked salad selection like shaved fennel and asian pear, and the list goes on.

The wine list is also well thought out. The waiter is excellent in suggesting an Argentinian 2008 Malbec that completes the meal. This he opens and pours in a very sexy and dangerously fragile looking Riedel decanter (apparently, we're not allowed to touch it ourselves).

Excellent service, perfect meal.

"C" Restaurant

I've always wanted to go this restaurant ever since I saw a feature of its award winning chef, Robert Clark on TV. He's one of our local superstar chefs. So, when "C" was the deal of the day at Groupon, I was all over it (otherwise, I may have to forgo eating for a week to afford it). The deal was for a tasting menu - brunch. This means that you don't order, you get what you get.

As is typical of a fancy-shmancy place, it started with an amuse-bouche (for non-foodies, this means an itty-bitty appy) of corn bread on aioli. It was followed with granola with Greek yogurt, with fresh fruits sprinkled with mint, then a salad of frisee and arugula with smoked trout and grapefruit and the main course was eggs benedict with some paprika potatoes. Dessert is an in house made chocolate cherry ice cream on a cone.

It is a good meal, however, I'm pretty sure, I can get a similar meal like it for a lot less. I think I would have to go back though for dinner in order to get its true essence of what they are famously known for. 

C is in the north side of False Creek. 

2-1600 Howe Street Vancouver, BC